A Backyard Glow: Ryan and Michael’s Intimate Texas Wedding

Ryan Russell and Michael Waligura’s love story started with that familiar “brrrup” notification sound. In Michael’s own words, the couple is a “Grindr success story.”

The two first messaged on January 1, 2021, and wasted no time meeting in person. “We went on our first date January 3rd,” Ryan says. “Brunch turned into lunch, turned into dinner, turned into a stop at Memorial Park. And then we were like, ‘Well, let’s go see Hermann Park.’ And then it was 11 p.m. at Velvet Taco. So it just never ended.”

The marathon date set the tone for their relationship. “I’d say I just felt very at home and very comfortable just from our very first date,” Ryan remembers.

“We were able to have fun and laugh from the very beginning.” Michael agrees: “It felt like I knew him for a long time, and I had just met him two days ago.”

Ryan says he had a defining moment before that night was even over. “We were driving to Velvet Taco, crossing over the bridge on I-10, looking down Shepherd, and you could see the Houston skyline. I just had this overwhelming feeling. I thought, ‘Oh, we’re getting married.’ I didn’t yet know that I loved him, but I knew that I would.”

Michael’s realization came more gradually. “I finally knew that he was the one whenever it was just so natural. I couldn’t see myself with anyone else,” he adds. “Our relationship just grew from friendship to a loving relationship.”

That mutual certainty led to an untraditional engagement while vacationing in Florence, Italy. Ryan popped the question on a hill overlooking the city. His romantic surprise was spoiled slightly by a visible photographer sitting on a bench, and Ryan’s heartfelt book he made that documented their relationship. “It’s like whenever you open up a birthday card and there’s money that falls out, but you have to read the card first,” Michael jokes. “Then he got on one knee and asked me to marry him.” In lieu of a ring, Ryan presented Michael with a Cartier watch.

The couple married on October 19, 2024, in Ryan’s hometown of Nacogdoches, Texas. “I think we were the biggest gay wedding that Nacogdoches has ever seen,” Ryan says.

Michael laughs, “Yeah, it was small. Like 75 people.”

Rather than a formal ballroom bash, Ryan and Michael envisioned a candlelit backyard dinner party. “We knew we didn’t want a big, crazy, dancing-all-night wedding. That’s just not us,” Ryan explains. “It turned out very intimate, very personal to us, and honestly better than we could have imagined.”

Their creativity was on full display. “We basically deconstructed a lot of our house and took it to Nacogdoches,” Michael says. “We’ve collected so many things over the years that we wanted to incorporate at the venue.”

They served tres leches cake, Michael’s favorite, in family casserole dishes and chocolate chip cookies packaged in bags printed with the face of their English bulldog, Arnold. Guests even got a custom New York Times–style mini crossword, a nod to the couple’s friendly competition with word games. “We did all of the calligraphy ourselves,” Ryan notes. “We designed our wedding invitations, printed them, and even made the cookie bags.”

The décor glowed under countless candles as guests enjoyed a Southern menu of champagne and fried chicken, shrimp and grits, and mac and cheese. “People raved about the food,” Michael says of The Fredonia Hotel’s catering team, led by events director Morgan Rogers. “They really went above and beyond.”

The wedding day itself unfolded with unusual calm. “We were very relaxed. We literally went antiquing before,” Ryan says with a smile. “We actually bought a lamp at an antique store that we then used at the wedding.”

For Ryan, one of the most moving moments came as the couple walked into the reception. “We know not everybody in our community is this lucky to have 75 of their friends and family not just attend but support and celebrate them,” he says. “That view of seeing all the people that loved us really sticks out.”

Michael remembers the warm glow as night fell. “Whenever the day turned into night, the candles just illuminated the entire place. It was just a pretty sight to see everyone aglow.”

Later, the celebration took a playful turn when guests jumped into the pool, joined by the grooms—after a quick wardrobe change, of course. “It was just very untraditional,” Michael says. “It was exactly what I wanted.”

Ryan, who served as the wedding planner, credits close friends and family for helping bring the event to life. “It was fun. It was like my hobby for the whole year leading up to it,” he says.

The couple’s chosen vendors also made a big impact. Their longtime friend Chelsea Deitering officiated the ceremony, Both Bloom Studio created vibrant floral designs, and Jess and Trish of XO Golden Photo captured every moment while advocating fiercely for LGBTQ couples. The Fredonia Hotel provided the food, venue, and personalized service, while the couple hosted a casual welcome party at Red House Winery with pizza from Revolution Road Pizza Co. Custom suits came from Suitesupply, their wedding rings from Zadok Jewelers, and they exchanged Cartier watches during their engagement. Michael received his while the couple was on vacation in Florence, Italy, and Ryan received his during a trip to New York City.

Reflecting on their do-it-yourself approach, Michael says, “That’s just how we are. It wasn’t a low-budget wedding. We’re just so creative. My little trusty printer printed out every cookie bag. I made the Arnold logo on my iPad. Ryan designed everything on Canva.”

Ryan adds, “We really did a lot of it ourselves. The biggest expenses were just food and the venue.”

Now that the wedding planning is behind them, Ryan jokes that he’s looking for a new project. Michael has an idea: “I said take on one client a year and just do it big.” 

Until then, the couple is savoring married life and memories of a wedding weekend that was as unique as their love story. “It really, truly felt like we had 75 people over to our house,” Ryan says.

“Just the best party,” Michael agrees.

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